Machine for reducing and softening bituminous rock



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- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. GROAT. MACHINE FOB. REDUGING AND SOFTENINGBITUMINOUS ROCK.

Patented' Aug. 1, 1893.

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ImIEnTun ibfzm (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

BGROAT.

MACHINE PGB. REDUGING AND SOFTBNING'BITUMINOUS ROCK.

' 10,502,417. .Patented Aug. 1, 1893.

' nunnuunmumuuum@ immuun"urmmunnfr UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIAs GRoAfr, or SAN LUIS oEIsPo, oALIEoENIA.

MACHINE FOR RvEDUVCINYG AND SOFTENING BITUMINOUS ROCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,417', dated August1, 1893.

Application tiled August 31, 1892.` Serial No. 444,625. (No model.)`

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS GROAT, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Luis Obispo, in the county of San Luis Obispo and Stateof California,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMachines for Reducing and Softening Bituminous Rock, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements made in machines formelting and reducing bituminous rock or other similarl material of thatclass or description for which I made application for Letters Patent ofthe United States on March 25, 1892, Serial No. 426,336. t t

The improvements comprise certain construction and combination of partsproducing an improved portable apparatus or machine for intimatelymixing the constituents and bringing the material into a suitable softand disintegrated condition for making roadways by the aid of steamalone which does not come in direct contact with the rock or materialunder treatment, all as herein fully set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which form part of thisspecification z-Figure l is a vertical section of my machine forreducing and mixing bituminous rock. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectiontaken through linexx Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of thedisintegrating teeth.

The upright steam j acketed cylinder or tank A with conical base, therectangular stack of steam-pipe B connected with the steam-jacket, thestirrers or mixers C, C, and means for discharging the preparedbituminous rock from the base of the tank are all constructedsubstantially in the same manner as described in my former applicationfor a patent.

It is a well conceded fact that in bituminous formations of thecharacter above mentioned and in the same strata will be found depositsof variable richness in bituminous matter, say from ve per cent. totwenty per cent. and when the prepared rock is not thoroughly mixed orincorporated in the process of reduction and laid upon the street as apavement it will become soft in spots by the action of the suns raysupon it, or the bond in other places will be easily broken ordisintegrated by reason of such inequality in the reduction of thematerial so laid and the pavement soon becom es worthless, Hence theobject of my present invention is mainly to intirnately mix theconstituents which compose bituminous rock so as to bring it to a moreuniform condition than has heretofore been attained. Vith this end inview I connect to the interior of the jacket a little beneath the stackof pipes of the reducing cylinder or tank an annular border or rim Dwith sides slopinginwardly in such a manner as to direct the materialunder treatment away from the face of the jacket or interior of shell atthat point and cause it to pass more directly upon the face of thedisintegrating plate or disk beneath. The disintegrating plate iscomposed of a circulardisk-plate E having a rim or borderEX andradiating and curved openings or slots F, F, F, in the plate throughwhich the reduced material passes to the stirrers beneath. It isprovided with a hub or collar G and is keyed to the vertical shaft GXwhich carries the stirrers in the conical end of the reducing tank androtated by the shaft upon friction rollers or travelers H, I-I, fixed tothe face of an annular track or plate I the edge of the rim or platebeing also fixed to the interor of the shell or jacket of the tank. Abase plate J is fixed directly underneath the rotating plate E and ofthe same diameter. It is also provided with slots or openings JX J Xwhich correspond in curvature and dimensions with the rotary plate bywhich the dow of material is stopped and prevented from passing downinto the conical chamber of the tank when operation of the machineceases for the night; and in operation the arms of the rotating platewill shut over the slots in the iXed plate underneath and close up theapertures therein and prevent the iiow or passage of any liquid orsemi-solid portion of the charge contained in the reduction tank to thechamber beneath.

To one side of the apertures or slots of the rotating disk I connect bymeans of rivets or bolts the curved and beveled teeth K, K, K. They areupwardly inclined at an angle of about forty degrees and engage with thematerial softened by heat from the steam-jacket and tear or separate itinto fragments to such a consistencythat it will readily pass throughthe apertures of the disk and downward into the conical chamber to befurther engaged by the mixers or stirrers beneath, and be dischargedfrom the conical chamber through the sliding gates in a it condition forspreading upon the street to form the pavement.

The material is fed to the reducing tank or cylinder through an openingin the top provided with a trap door, and avertical spindle or shaft isoperated by means of the beveled gears L and a pulley on the horizontalshaft M.

Steam is admitted to the jacketed cylinder from a boiler in the usualWay or through a pipe YQ and the excess of steam is taken through thepipe that taps the cylinder at P and is-directed through a pipe to adonkey engine (not shown) for driving the mixing shaft GrX carrying themixers and disintegrators. By this construction the machine will beself-feeding as the material or rock will pass downward by its ownspecific gravity on to the rotating-plate and as disintegration takesplace will pass into the conical chamber without mechanical aid.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

l. In au apparatus for reducing and softening bituminous rock, thecombination with a tank, ofl a verticalv shaft journaled in suitablebearings in said tank, a steam stack secured thereto, a rotatinghorizontal dish shaped plate secured to said shaft and having curvedslots therein, an annular deflecting plate secured to the interior ofthe tank above the rotating plate, rollers for carrying the said plateand the mixers secured to the said shaft below the rotary plate allconstructed and arranged in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an apparatus for reducing and softoning bituminous rock thecombination with the interior of the tank or cylinder, of a rov taryhorizontal dish shaped plate, radially disposed curved slots therein,removable disintegrating teeth or arms secured along the line of saidslots, an annular track or Way beneath said plate, the friction rollerssecured to the face of said track the mixers beneath said plate and thevertical shaft for supporting said plate and mixers, substantiallyin themanner and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with the interior of a tank or cylinder for reducingand softening bituminous rock, of a rotating horizontal dish shapedplate, radially disposed curved slots.

therein, and disintegrating teeth or arms along the line of the saidslots, as and for the purpose set forth.

4.-. In an apparatus for reducing and softening bituminous rock, thecombination with a rotating horizontal disk or plate, a flange on theouter circumference thereof, radially disposed curved slots in said diskor plate and disintegrating teeth or arms along the line of said slots,of an annular track secured to the interior of the reducing tank, andtravelers or friction rollers therein for carrying and supporting therotary plate, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an apparatus for reducing and softening bituminous rock, thecombination With a rotating horizontal disk or plate, a flange on theouter circumference thereof, radially disposed curved slots in said diskor plate and disintegrating teeth or arms along the line of said slots,of an annular delecting plate or rim secured to the interior of thereducing tank above the rotating plate, as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand andseal.

ELIAS GROAT. [L 8.] Vitnesses:

C. W. M. SMITH, LEE D. CRAIG.

